April, 2023 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Kentucky Derby Notes: Rocket Can Zips Half Mile, Forte Due To Arrive Monday

Frank Fletcher Racing Operations' Grade 3 Holy Bull Stakes winner Rocket Can continued his serious training towards the Kentucky Derby with a bullet half-mile move in :46.60 Thursday at Churchill Downs under exercise rider Guelser Cardona.

Rocket Can's move was the fastest of 34 horses at the distance Thursday morning. The striking gray son of Into Mischief worked at 7:30 a.m. on the outside of allowance winner Lady Arsinoe. Rocket Can began his move one length back of his Bill Mott-trained stablemate and finished even at the wire. Rocket Can galloped out five furlongs in :59.20 and completed six furlongs in 1:12.60.

Rocket Can finished second to Forte in the Fountain of Youth (G2) following his win in the Holy Bull and, most recently, finished fourth as the beaten favorite in the Arkansas Derby (G1).

DERBY ARRIVALS – As of Thursday, there were 10 Kentucky Derby contenders on the grounds at Churchill Downs: Angel of Empire (Barn 22), Confidence Game (24), Continuar (JPN) (Q1), Derma Sotogake (JPN) (Q1), Hit Show (22), Jace's Road (22), Rocket Can (19), Sun Thunder (6), Verifying (22) and Wild On Ice (43).

The next horses scheduled to arrive at Churchill Downs are Todd Pletcher's trio of contenders: Forte (Monday), Kingsbarns (Monday) and Tapit Trice (Sunday). They will all be stabled in Pletcher's Barn 39.

Trainer Larry Rivelli reported Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) winner Two Phil's would remain stabled at Hawthorne and ship to Churchill Downs on May 1.

There also were several Derby hopefuls on the outside of the top 20 that arrived at Churchill Downs: No. 22 Cyclone Mischief (Barn 4), No. 25 King Russell (10) and No. 26 Disarm (38). The latter races Saturday in Keeneland's G3 Stonestreet Lexington and could pick up enough qualifying points to make the starting field.

UPCOMING WORKS – Three Kentucky Derby contenders are tentatively scheduled to work Saturday at Churchill Downs: Angel of Empire (5:30 a.m.), Confidence Game (7:30 a.m.) and Jace's Road (5:30 a.m.).

Wild On Ice would be on target to work either Saturday or Sunday. The Sunland Derby (G3) winner trains daily around 6:30 a.m. Those horse's official times and splits will be shared on Twitter via @HorseRacingKK.

JAPANESE HORSES RAMPING UP – Japan's duo of Kentucky Derby contenders – Derma Sotogake (JPN) and Continuar (JPN) – arrived at Churchill Downs around 5 a.m. Saturday and have already been getting acquainted with Churchill Downs.

Both horses have trained daily at either 7:40 a.m. or 9 a.m. and begin their time on the track by jogging in the one-mile chute accompanied by veteran horseman Mike Crowder on his lead pony.

Derma Sotogake is ridden daily by Masatoshi Segawa while Continuar has Kazunari Yoshida in the irons.

Both horses are scheduled to increase their training regiments next week, according to Kate Hunter, the Kentucky Derby representative for the Japan Racing Association. Not only have Segawa and Yoshida been getting acquainted to Churchill Downs, the duo began sightseeing the Louisville area including eating lunch at the famous Wagner's Pharmacy and visiting the Kentucky Derby Museum.

Derma Sotogake and Continuar are stabled in the Quarantine Barn 1 at the Kentucky Import Center at Churchill Downs.

The post Kentucky Derby Notes: Rocket Can Zips Half Mile, Forte Due To Arrive Monday appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Saturday’s Cross Country Pick 5 Features Aqueduct Races, Keeneland And Oaklawn Stakes

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) will host a Cross Country Pick 5 on Saturday with racing from Aqueduct Racetrack and graded stakes action from Keeneland and Oaklawn Park.

The Cross Country Pick 5 requires bettors to pick the winner of five select races from tracks across the country. The minimum bet for the multi-track, multi-race wager is 50 cents. Wagering on the Cross Country Pick 5 is available on ADW platforms and at simulcast facilities across the country with each week featuring a mandatory payout of the net pool. The Cross Country Pick 5, boasting a low 15 percent takeout, offers sequences with races from Aqueduct Racetrack and partner tracks across the country.

The sequence kicks off at 4:34 p.m. Eastern in Race 7 at Aqueduct, a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight for New York-bred fillies and mares over the inner turf course. The overflow field of 12 includes the well-bred Inflationary Trend for four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown. The daughter of Mendelssohn is out of the wining Sky Mesa mare Flash Act, whose dam is the multiple graded stakes-winner Missy's Mirage. Conditioner Christophe Clement will send out the pair of Orange Freeze, who finished third on debut in August at Saratoga Race Course, and Bomb Squad, who returns from a five-month layoff after finishing third in her debut over the Big A turf.

The action switches to Keeneland for the second leg in Race 9 [5:16 p.m.], the Grade 3, $400,000 Lexington for sophomores. The 1 1/16-mile test is the final stop on the Road to the Kentucky Derby and awards 20-8-6-4-2 qualifying points to the top-five finishers. The Steve Asmussen-trained Disarm is currently in 26th place on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard after a last-out second-place finish in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby behind the Louisville-bound Kingsbarns. A win in the Lexington would give the son of Gun Runner a total of 60 points and a guaranteed spot in the Derby field.

Other contenders in search of their first graded stakes victory include Reinvest, who is undefeated through two starts for conditioner Timothy Hamm, impressive maiden winner Empirestrikesfast for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, and the talented duo of maiden winners Demolition Duke and First Mission for two-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Brad Cox.

The middle leg will see a field of 12, plus three also-eligibles, sprint six furlongs over the outer turf in Race 9 [5:38 p.m.], a maiden special weight for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up at the Big A. The Michael Stidham-trained Tufani makes her debut off an April 8 breeze over Fair Hill's all-weather training track where she covered five-eighths in 1:01.40. The daughter of Distorted Humor is out of the Mineshaft mare Windhoek, a half-sister to stakes-winner South Andros, who produced graded stakes-placed Private Creed. Chad Brown will send up Accept the Outcome by way of Gulfstream Park on the heels of a game fourth-place effort on Feb. 16 while the Bill Mott trainee Spelterini will look to graduate after three consecutive runner-up efforts and three other on-the-board finishes.

The penultimate leg features Grade 1 action from Keeneland in Race 10 [5:48 p.m.], the $600,000 Jenny Wiley for older fillies and mares traveling 1 1/16 miles on the lawn. A talented duo loom large for Chad Brown in multiple Grade 1-winner In Italian and Grade 2-winner Speak of the Devil. In Italian makes her seasonal debut after finishing a pacesetting second in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf over the same course in November. The daughter of Dubawi won two Grade 1 events last year in the Diana at Saratoga and First Lady at Keeneland. Speak of the Devil returned from a nine-month layoff last out to finish a close fifth in the Grade 3 Honey Fox in March at Gulfstream. She won the Grade 2 Churchill Distaff Turf Mile last year at its namesake track.

The talented field of nine also includes With The Moonlight, who has won two Group 2 events in her two outings this year for trainer Charlie Appleby; Pizza Bianca, winner of the 2021 Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf for conditioner Christophe Clement; and Skims, winner of the Grade 2 Sands Point in October at Belmont at the Big A for Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey.

The sequence concludes at Oaklawn Park with the Grade 3, $500,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap [Race 9, 5:58 p.m.], a six-furlong test for older horses. The Chris Hartman-trained Tejano Twist scored a 1 1/2-length victory in the Grade 3 Whitmore last out over the Hot Springs oval and earned a 101 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort. The in-form son of Practical Joke has hit the board in each of his last six outings dating to September.

The salty field of 10 includes Strobe, who has won 4-of-5 starts for Cox and earned a co-field-best 104 Beyer for a six-length optional claiming coup two starts back at Fair Grounds Race Course. Bill Mott trainee Candy Man Rocket looks to round back into graded form off two victories this season at Gulfstream Park, including a last-out score in the Gulfstream Park Sprint on February 25.

Free Equibase past performances for the Cross Country Pick 5 sequence will be available for download at https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/cross-country-wagers.

America's Day at the Races will present live coverage and analysis of the Aqueduct spring meet on the networks of FOX Sports. For the broadcast schedule and channel finder, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.

NYRA Bets is the best way to bet every race of the Aqueduct Racetrack spring meet. Available to horse players nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

Cross Country Pick 5 – Saturday, April 15
Leg A: Aqueduct Racetrack, Race 7 – MSW (4:34 p.m. Eastern)
Leg B: Keeneland, Race 9, G3 Lexington (5:16 p.m.)
Leg C: Aqueduct Racetrack, Race 9 – MSW (5:38 p.m.)
Leg D: Keeneland, Race 10 – G1 Jenny Wiley (5:48 p.m.)
Leg E: Oaklawn Park, Race 9 – G3 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (5:58 p.m.)

The post Saturday’s Cross Country Pick 5 Features Aqueduct Races, Keeneland And Oaklawn Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Grade 1-Winning Owner Bartlett Lands Top Lot at Aintree Sale

On a day when Ronnie Bartlett's Banbridge landed a Grade 1 over fences, the leading owner snapped up the £260,000 Nativehill (Ire) at the Goffs UK Aintree Sale after racing.

Nativehill, a half-brother to multiple Grade 1 winner Bellshill, was knocked down to Ian Ferguson on behalf of Bartlett for £260,000.

The Flemensfirth gelding, who was a late addition to the catalogue, bolted up in a point-to-point at Loughanmore on Easter Saturday for Colin McKeever.

A total of 19 horses sold for six-figure sums and others to feature were D B Cooper (Lot 17), a 4-year-old who won his debut point for Sean Doyle of Monbeg Stables and sold to Joey Logan and Andy and Gemma Brown for £225,000.

Goffs UK Managing Director Tim Kent commented, “Today has been another historic day for Goffs' point-to-point sales. It started with Goffs PTP graduate Constitution Hill winning the Grade 1 Aintree Hurdle shortly after Ahoy Senor finished second in the Grade 1 Aintree Bowl, and all this before Dysart Enos won the Grade 2 Goffs UK Nickel Coin Mares' Bumper just 12 months after selling for £95,000 at this sale last year.

“The day finished with another successful Aintree Sale which saw a total of 19 horses sell for six-figure sums, five more than we achieved in what was a record sale last year. This was matched by an 89% clearance rate and a median that was 15% ahead of last year which clearly demonstrates the consistent level of trade from start to finish. The genuine nature of today's market is another highlight of tonight's sale and, as ever, we would like to extend our thanks to the Aintree Executive for their support of the sale. We must also thank our vendors who have once again supported us with their very best horses and we wish all buyers the very best of luck with their new purchases.”

The post Grade 1-Winning Owner Bartlett Lands Top Lot at Aintree Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Coen To Join Tattersalls Ireland

Officials at Tattersalls Ireland have announced the appointment of Luke Coen as a bloodstock representative. An experienced and respected figure in the industry, Coen has excelled in both the eventing and Thoroughbred industry.

Having represented Ireland at both Junion and Young Rider level in the European Championships, Coen has been surrounded by such equine superstars as My Dream Boat, Quel Spirit and Faugheen from a young age and has also gained knowledge as a pinhooker through his Q-Cross Stables.

“We are delighted to welcome Luke to the Tattersalls Ireland team,” said Tattersalls Ireland CEO Simon Kerins. “He is a very mature person that belies his age, and he has packed in an enormous amount of experience in his young career. With his deep understanding of pedigrees, conformation, racing potential and his expertise, Luke will be of great benefit to our clients. We look forward to working with him and continuing to provide our clients with the best possible service.”

Added Coen: “I am thrilled to be joining Tattersalls Ireland, a company with an excellent reputation in the industry. I am passionate about the thoroughbred industry and look forward to developing strong relationships with Tattersalls Ireland's vendors and purchasers alike.”

The post Coen To Join Tattersalls Ireland appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post